Google Assistant is ready to help on your Sony TV

If you have a Sony TV in your living room, it just got a little smarter. Sony is rolling out an update to many of its Android TV-powered 4K HDR sets (more on that in a moment) to enable Google Assistant. Talk to your remote and you'll get the same AI helper that you can likely find on your phone. Naturally, Assistant can do a little more than you're used to on your phone: you can ask about the weather, search for factoids or play videos, but you can also control your TV. Sony is particularly keen to tout the 'seamless' smart home control -- you should have an easier time dimming the lights when it's movie time.

Whether or not you can use Assistant depends largely on the age of your set. All 2017 4K HDR sets are covered, but it's trickier if you have a 2016 TV -- you'll need a Z9D, X800D, X750D or X700D to see what the fuss is about. So long as you meet the criteria, though, you'll have one less reason to pull out your phone when you're lounging about on the couch.